


Moonshine Smile

by FaultyParagon



Series: RWBY AUs [11]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daycare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aunts & Uncles, Awkward Flirting, Baby Marrow Amin, Baby Ruby Rose (RWBY), Baby Weiss Schnee, Bisexual Qrow Branwen, Clover is in law school, Daycare, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Fairgame, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Gay Clover Ebi, Gen, He Doesn't Know How to Parent, Humor, Let's watch him fall over himself trying to do simple dad things, M/M, More like Druncle Qrow amirite, Parenthood, Qrow Branwen-centric, Qrow being in education is such an ongoing headcanon, Romance, Slice of Life, Uncle Clover, Unresolved Sexual Tension, and also over Clover, but that's not entirely unwelcome now is it Qrow, he'd be the hottest prof, needs a nap, uncle Qrow - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24138832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaultyParagon/pseuds/FaultyParagon
Summary: Modern AU. Qrow isn’t a domestic type, but when your best friend is on a work trip overseas, his younger daughter needs to go to daycare, and there are other dudes just as unlucky as you, it’s not that bad- although some lucky charms are having more fun than others.At least Clover’s always got coffee and a smile lined up. Qrow’s definitely just there for the coffee, though. Definitely.-aka neither Qrow nor Clover are parents, but Clover is going to make Qrow enjoy this time acting as #1 Duncle no matter what. FairGame.
Relationships: Marrow Amin & Clover Ebi, Marrow Amin & Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen & Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen & Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen & Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: RWBY AUs [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690948
Comments: 112
Kudos: 157





	1. Wink

**Author's Note:**

> I told y’all there’d be another one soon! I’m still on a Kimbra kick, so this one is inspired by the song _Miracle_. This is an AU that’s been in my head since before _Cameo Lover_ came to be, so here it finally is! Enjoy :)

**Wink**

“You’re such a lifesaver, man.” The words, while genuine, came out hurried and flustered, the sound of the Taiyang’s footsteps echoing through the phone.

Qrow rolled his eyes, pushing his bangs out of his face. Fingers tapped impatiently upon the steering wheel as he waited to turn into the parking lot in front of him, moving to the rhythm of Taiyang’s muffled, worried groans. Qrow could so-easily imagine his best friend tripping over himself as he lugged his duffel bag clumsily through Vale International Airport, struggling to make it to check-in on time. “I told you I could’ve taken the kiddos this morning,” he murmured, finally finding an opportunity to turn into the parking lot.

“And miss saying goodbye to my girls? No _way_ I’d do that!” Taiyang cried. Qrow snorted as he heard the blond try to speak to the clerk at the check-in counter for a moment. After his conversation with the clerk ended, Taiyang added, “You take care of Ruby for me, okay? Yang’s gonna be fine at camp, but Ruby’s still so little.”

“Me ‘n the kiddo’ll have a great time,” Qrow insisted, pulling smoothly into the last parking stall in the row. He grumbled under his breath, turning off the quiet, clunky beater after a moment and climbing out of the car. “Don’t worry. You just focus your little head on not getting fired.”

“Oh ha-ha,” Taiyang mocked, “we both know I’m going to do great at this conference.”

“Whatever, Tai.” Fondly, he added, “Go knock’em dead.”

The smile in Taiyang’s voice was audible despite the teasing. He had been waiting a long, long time to present his research at this education conference, and Signal Academy was finally sponsoring his trip now that the dust of the year past had settled. The man had every right to be excited to be back on his feet. “But seriously though, make sure Ruby’s happy, okay?”

“I’m her favourite uncle. She’ll be fine.” Qrow’s fingers automatically reached down, scrabbling for a cigarette in his back pocket. “I mean, I’m already at the daycare-“

“You’re not gonna smoke or drink over the next few weeks, right?”

His fingers smoothly slid the cigarette pack away. “I’m not a moron, Tai,” Qrow muttered, slouching over and sauntering over to the front door. “Now go board the plane or something.”

“Fine, fine,” Taiyang murmured. “Hey, Qrow?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for moving back to Vale. I know you were happy working on campus, but-“

“It’s fine, you sentimental loser,” Qrow muttered, but his smile was strained, just as he imagined Taiyang’s was. “I needed to get old Jimmy off my ass at work every day anyways. Might as well stay away from the office if I can.”

That seemed to appease his best friend, his tone softening. “’Kay. Good luck, and don’t try and win Ruby over- I’m already number one in her heart.”

“I’m pretty sure that spot’s for her big sis, but okay,” Qrow laughed, any tension all gone.

And with that, the two men murmured their goodbyes and good wishes, and Qrow promised that yes, he’d send a picture of Ruby every night after she fell asleep, and yes, he’d call Taiyang if anything happened, and yes, she would always brush her teeth and eat her veggies and finish her colouring each day and-

“Get to daycare,” Qrow groaned aloud, looking up at the sign posted atop the small building before him. 

The Arc ABC House was a quaint little daycare- family-owned and run, Taiyang had told him it was a high-quality facility with friendly staff and even friendlier kids. Little paper cut-outs of butterflies and ladybugs and flowers lined the windows, matching the early summer atmosphere perfectly. 

He chewed his lip. _I’ll make sure Ruby’s okay, Summer. Don’t worry._ At that thought, he sighed and stretched, loping over to where a few parents were already milling about. A few of the mothers smiled flirtatiously at him, and he automatically smiled back, winking their way as he took his post by the door. Compared to everyone else, he knew he looked debonair, despite the headache still faintly pulsing in the back of his head.

While he didn’t mind the curious gazes, he certainly felt overdressed for the affair. Qrow’s work hours were mostly in the morning, so coming to the daycare in the early morning and early afternoon for his four-year-old niece would have to become habit. _This is why you become a content developer and not an actual teacher,_ he thought wearily, yawning as he fidgeted with his blazer’s sleeve. _No shitty conferences, just online calls._ Yet, with the rising heat, he couldn’t help but regret not changing after his online meetings into breezier clothes before showing up. 

Taking care of his niece wouldn’t be that bad, though, right? All he had to do, theoretically, was to keep her alive. Parenting the little tyke couldn’t be _that_ hard, if Taiyang had managed to not kill either of his daughters thus far.

Finally, the clock struck 2 and the jingling school bell rang, the door opening and releasing a flood of toddlers. The children poured out, racing over to the miniature playground built just beside the door where the kids could relax while waiting for their parents. Qrow peered over a sea of bright faces for that familiar bob of red-tinged brunette, smiling involuntarily when he caught sight of it. “Is that my niece?” he called, waving to her.

At the sound of his raspy voice, little Ruby’s bright, silvery-grey eyes perked up, a smile spreading across her face like nothing else. She looked about to burst with glee. “Uncle Qrow!” she squeaked, immediately rushing towards him. Qrow had to bite back his laughter as the two other kids holding onto Ruby’s hands were immediately dragged along for the ride, almost falling as she sprinted carelessly towards him.

Once she finally was within distance, Ruby dropped her friends’ hands and launched herself into his arms. Long-used to this reaction, he easily held out his arms, ready to catch her.

What he wasn’t expecting, however, was the sheer force with which she threw herself at him. Knocked off balance, he was winded for a moment as he fell onto his bottom, his pain completely unbeknownst to the little girl who could only nuzzle his neck. Maintaining his strained smile, he simply patted her back while she cried, “Didja miss me?”

He pretended to think for a moment, carefully detaching her death-grip from around his neck. _She’s grown a bit,_ he thought distantly- a little sadly. “Hm… nope.”

She blew a raspberry at him and he chuckled, placing her back onto the ground. She immediately ran back inside, crying, “I’m gonna bring my backpack and my dwawing today!”

“Sure thing, kiddo!” he called back, wincing openly once she turned the corner.

To his surprise, a large hand suddenly appeared before him. “Need some help?” a wry, friendly voice chuckled. 

Qrow looked up, locking eyes with the greenest eyes he had ever seen set above a smirk that was far-too smug. Instantly uneasy and unsure at that smile, Qrow reached up and took the offered hand, letting the newcomer help him up. 

Once he was back onto his feet and able to dust himself off, the other man murmured, “You’re a new face. Ruby’s uncle, I’m presuming?”

Qrow nodded slowly, cracking his neck slightly. “How do you know that?”

The man grinned, gesturing towards one of the children who had been with Ruby earlier: a little boy who had gone to play on the swings with a few other children. “Marrow’s my godson,” he explained. “I'm taking care of him while his mom’s away for the summer. Taiyang told me about his conference, so I’m assuming you’re Qrow.”

Qrow nodded, examining the man’s face carefully. The handsome young man seemed to be in his early twenties, a strong nose and jaw matching his toned arms, bare in the sunny weather. Qrow glanced down at himself- still mildly hungover, dressed in the same fitted blazer and slacks he wore everywhere, clearly not prepared for the day’s heat. Hanging from the other man's wrist was a small bag; from where Qrow stood, it looked like it contained a few juice boxes. _Well. Someone’s figured this out more than me, I guess._ “You’re assuming right, bud.”

The man held out a hand in friendly greeting. “The name’s Clover. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, I guess.”

After a moment, Qrow took the hand, giving it a squeeze. The touch was surprisingly cool despite the heat, a welcome reprieve to the stuffiness of his blazer. The touch was rough, calloused, but oddly comforting despite it all.

He didn’t realize how long it took for Clover to let go of his hand, however, until Ruby suddenly attached herself to his leg, her far-too-large backpack protruding comically from her back like a turtle shell. “Hi. I signed out.”

“Hi yourself,” he chuckled, scooping her up in his arms. Raising a hand to wave goodbye at Clover, he murmured, “I’ll see ya tomorrow, I guess.”

And then, to Qrow’s horror and utter confusion, Clover winked, a teasing drawl in his voice. “Lucky you, huh? Can’t wait.”

Qrow paused, staring at the man for a moment, caught aback by the gesture. Yet, when Clover's eyes narrowed a little, his smile just as meaningful and curious as the mothers who had looked over him upon his arrival to the daycare-

 _Oh_ hell _no, you're barking up the wrong tree, buddy._ Qrow had never gotten into his car so quickly in his life, fighting his old car to roll out of the parking lot as soon as possible, trying to ignore the low, rumbling chuckles and those green eyes that haunted him all the way home.

Clover was handsome, for sure. And clearly, he thought Qrow the same, that quick, wordless look all he needed to confirm it. _...This is going to be a long few weeks, huh?_


	2. Princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a weird phenomenon has happened with this story. Usually I plan out stories in their entirety before starting them. However, I haven’t fully planned this one out yet. Therefore, if y’all have any ideas on fun/wholesome things these two himbos can get up to (keep it PG please for baby!Ruby and baby!Marrow!) feel free to leave them in the comments!

**Princess**

He loved Ruby with all his heart. He truly did. He would happily give his life if it meant he could protect the little girl. However, he had not been ready for the absolute shit show that had been getting Ruby out of the door that morning.

The first night had been fine. After daycare, she of course _had_ to tell him all about her day at the daycare, telling him more than he had ever wanted to know about the other kids there.

"Weiss is my bestest friend! She's like a pwincess, she's only here sometimes when she visits her mummy. Did you know she has a butt-ler who makes yummy cocoa?" she told him zeagerly, bouncing on the couch while he put her bag away in his small guest bedroom. "She has a really pwetty sister. But Yang's pwettier!"

"Is that so?"

"Yup! And-and-and Mawwow is my friend, and so is Penny, and Cococo and Velvet and Fox and Yats- Yatsu- Yazu," she stumbled, trying to say the name cleanly, "and Jaune! Although Jaune's a gwownup."

That name rang a bell. "Ah, he's the one who works with you all during the day, right?"

"Yup!" She rolled over the back of the couch, watching him with a grand smile on her face. "He's silly. I'm faster at running!"

He walked over and tousled her hair. "I'm sure you are, you little speed demon."

She giggled, finally plopping down properly onto the couch.

When she hadn't been looking, he had managed to sneak in some painkillers and chug some water, making her incessant babbling no longer painful to his creeping migraine. Then, he had set her up with a movie, pouring her juice and sitting with her while he sent emails for work. Even afterwards, though, she had still been on a high, giggling and cheering because, "Uncle Qwow, we're gonna do _so much stuff,_ " while she pranced around his flat with pure joy.

He had only chuckled, cooking some simple dinner and treating her to a little ice cream he had picked up from the market a few days earlier in preparation for her stay. Then, as she gabbled along, he had been able to get her in the bath, dry her hair and get her into pyjamas, tucking her in after telling her a whole four bedtime stories. Did he just ramble on about his adventures in college with Taiyang and their old friends? Perhaps. Did he pray after the fact that she never told Taiyang all of the dirt she now held in her tiny, powerful little hands? Definitely.

Either way, the photo of her sleeping face, so serene and adorable, was sent to Taiyang, and Qrow promptly had to deal with listening to his best friend sob on the phone for twenty minutes about how he needed to return _right that instant._

"Tai, relax," Qrow insisted. "Ruby and I are gonna be fine. You just focus on making it through."

After much dogging, eventually Taiyang saw sense and hung up, letting Qrow finally pour himself the tiniest bit of whisky with which to wind down the day.

_This'll be easy. Don't worry, Tai- Summer. I'm ready, it'll be fine._

But then, the morning had rolled around, and he had _not_ been ready. Nothing was fine.

That morning, Qrow gained more respect for Taiyang than ever before. Waking Ruby up bright and early was a headache and a half. He had no idea how to do her hair. She asked him for her snack, which he had forgotten to prepare. He usually drank only coffee in the morning, so the realization that she probably needed to eat something came far too late. She couldn't find her shoes, she forgot to take her backpack and only remembered when they were halfway to the daycare already-

At 7:15, he finally rolled into the Arc ABC House parking lot, scooping Ruby up and striding to the door, frazzled and unnerved. To make it even worse, standing at the door and talking to a clumsy blond man whom Ruby promptly identified as Jaune, her class' monitor, was Clover, the young man from the day before.

Jaune called out, "Ruby! We missed you!"

When he finally reached the front door, Ruby tapped Qrow's arm until he set her down onto the floor. She grinned, turning around to smile widely at him. "Be good, Uncle Qwow!" she chirped, waving enthusiastically at him before skipping off to the door of the building.

Qrow raised his brows, snorting despite himself. _I guess she's still doing alright. We're a little late, though… we'll work on that._

Unfortunately, with Ruby's arrival, bright green eyes fell upon him again. Dressed in a casual t-shirt and khakis, the younger man looked comfy and at ease in the bright scene. Before Qrow could turn away, Clover jogged up to him and smiled, that same curious look in his eyes as the day before. "We meet again, Qrow," he hummed in a smooth, nonchalant voice, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Rough morning?"

Qrow groaned, rolling his eyes. "What makes you say that?" he replied, voice a little harsher than intended.

Clover wasn't fazed, his knowing smile only growing further, eyes never straying from Qrow. "I mean, when I first started taking care of Marrow a few weeks ago, it was rough," he admitted openly. "Didn't have time for coffee in the morning-" Qrow winced, "-forgot to pack his snacks-" _Goddammit,_ "-ran in late every morning-"

"Okay, pal, we got it," Qrow sighed, brushing his bangs back. "Any reason you wanted to chat?"

Clover shrugged. "You just looked like you could use a friendly face in the new routine, that's all."

Qrow rolled his eyes, but something about those words stung. He didn't address the feeling, though, simply sending Clover a wan smile. "Well, thanks, buddy."

"Clover."

"…Yeah. 'Kay."

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ruby waving at him through the doorway, a wide, beaming smile on her face. Instinctively, he softened and waved back. "Go inside, kiddo," he called.

She shook her head, pulling another child to stand beside her. "This is my fwiend Weiss!" she squealed excitedly, pointing at the other child, a pale girl with silvery-blonde hair in a little white dress.

"Ah, the princess," he murmured. The little girl clearly heard, however, a pout puffing up her face as she glared at Ruby. Laughing at his niece's panicked reaction, he turned away from the door and checked his watch. He didn't have a ton of time before his next meeting, and if he didn't have the next module finished, he'd never hear the end of it. "I should head out. Got some meetings to attend soon-"

But as he took a step back towards his clunker of a car, the gravel beneath his feet shifted and he lost his balance. The world spun as he slipped backwards, bracing himself for the fall-

Instead of hitting the ground, however, strong arms caught him as if he weighed nothing. The hands supporting him were strong, comfortable- holding his weight easily despite his tall height. Qrow's breath rushed out of his lungs at the impact, bewildered when his lanky, thin frame was set back onto his feet like nothing.

Turning around, he felt his entire face heat up painfully as Clover easily reached forward, brushing off Qrow's shoulders and straightening out his collar. "Good catch, wouldn't you say?" Clover chuckled.

Qrow could only splutter and walk back to his car, ignoring the taunting call of, "You're welcome, princess!"

_…I'm going to have to see that asshole at 2, aren't I?_

He sighed, pouting as he slid back into his car. He had meetings to get to and better things to think about than Clover and his touch.


	3. Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to picture Clover as being in his early to mid-thirties in the show, so imagining him as a lil' 23yo makes me smile lol.
> 
> Also, I AM FREE  
> FREEDOM IS ME  
> I HAVE DONE IT  
> /end explosion
> 
> Expect a lot more chapters on all of my fics over the next few months, y'all. I have gotten through one of the hardest times of my whole life, and I finally have real time to write again.

**Coffee**

Qrow wasn't dreading the 2 o'clock pick-up. Of course not- he wasn't concerned at all. He managed to finish all of his work by noon, giving him more than enough time to relax before the veritable whirlwind which was Ruby re-entered his home. He had managed to drop by the grocery store between meetings, picking up little snacks and juice boxes and candies. He had felt like an actual father while standing in line, basket full of cutesy brands and cookies. He had even remembered to pick up food for Ruby's breakfasts, and after the rocky start that morning, figuring out that much was a win in his book.

So no, he didn't dread hearing his reminder ringing to pick up the little tyke, nor did he mind driving over to Arc ABC House. Despite her energy, having Ruby around always made him feel a little more whole, after all.

What he was dreading beyond all comparison was seeing _Clover._

After returning home that morning, Qrow had immediately tuned into his conference calls, muted his own microphone, and begun messaging his best friend about the young man who seemed intent on making Qrow feel out-of-sorts. Taiyang met his riled-up texts with confusion and excitement, offering nothing but kind words of praise about little Marrow's godfather. "He's so good with kids," Taiyang kept insisting. "Marrow and Ruby always like bothering Jaune after the day ends, but somehow Clover always knows what to say to get the kiddos going home. What's the issue? Something wrong?"

_Yeah, that creepy personality._

But Taiyang was generally a good judge of character. Perhaps he wasn't being fair to Clover. After all, the younger had realistically been nothing but polite and friendly to him, despite his teasing. Why was he having such an adverse reaction to the kid?

 _Yeah, he's just a kid._ For some reason, that thought set Qrow a bit more at ease. He closed his eyes, picturing the lecture halls in which his content was always delivered. Hidden within the many rows, it was far too easy to imagine Clover seated in a plastic, squeaky seat, just one young face amongst many.

A small smirk grew on his lips. _Yeah. He's literally just some brat. No need to get worked up._

With that in mind, when it finally came time to pick up Ruby, he rolled into the parking lot in his clunker with all the ease in the world. He wasn't scared of some early-twenties jock.

To his surprise, it wasn't Clover who caught his attention as he approached the door. Halfway through a yawn- _god,_ he needed to get used to this new schedule soon- he noticed a distinct lack of the young man by the daycare's door. Instead, it was a familiar, proud face which caught his eye; delicate features, pale skin and even paler, silvery-blonde hair tied up in the tight, authoritarian bun, dressed in a simple, elegant white dress shirt and pencil skirt-

And a thin, small mouth that immediately curved into a frown upon seeing him. _What in the world are you doing here?_ He immediately felt glee bubble up in his gut. "Winter Schnee," he chuckled, stopping short a few metres away from her. "What brings you here? I didn't know Jimmy had a kid-"

"Shut your mouth, Qrow Branwen," the young Master's student groaned, immediately crossing her arms defensively.

He waggled a finger at her. "Nope- that's _Dr. Branwen_ to you."

Her glare made him want to giggle. "I'll call you 'doctor' when you finally respect Dr. Ironwood."

Qrow rolled his eyes, waving his hand dismissively. "Meh, Jimmy-"

" _Dr.-_ "

He grinned wickedly at her. While he knew that Dr. James Ironwood was a good department head, and Beacon University was better for having him (despite Qrow disliking pretty much everything the man did), it wasn't out of spite that he liked bothering the man's assistant. Annoying Winter was more for fun than anything, as he would be the first to admit that she was more than competent at what she did in the faculty. The young woman just got so riled up- he couldn't help it.

Still, why was she here? There was no way she had a child who would be in daycare. Thinking back on the children he had seen the day before and that morning, however, it dawned on him. "Are you related to the little princess?"

Winter frowned deepened. "Are you talking about Weiss? Why do you know of my little sister?"

 _Alright. Big age gap, that's fine._ "Calm down, Ice Queen. My niece is one of her playmates."

With the usual nickname came the usual piercing glare, leaving him to simply smile cheekily at her.

"What's all this? You look like you're having fun," a male voice called.

Qrow immediately sighed, smile weakening a little. It almost fell away completely when a friendly hand clapped him on the shoulder, bright green eyes smiling at him kindly. He had almost forgotten about Clover in his excitement from getting to tease Winter.

Yet, to his surprise, what was immediately offered to him was not another handshake or flirtatious grin. Instead, Clover offered him a small coffee, a gentle smile on his face. "Day 2 coffee. I figured you could use it."

Qrow blinked at the disposable cup in the man's hands for a moment. Even with the lid on, the scent soothed his frazzled nerves, waking him up a little. He took the cup with a hesitant hand, asking at last, "Where'd this come from?"

Clover shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets and balancing on the balls of his feet. "Just thought I'd make peace." His smile softened, the curiosity remaining, but much less intrusive now. "You seemed to be a little uncomfortable this morning, so I wanted to apologize."

 _Well. Shit._ The words seemed more than genuine. After a moment, he sighed, taking a sip and smiling despite himself. "Apology accepted, Clover."

Hearing his name, Clover's face split into a wide smile, flashing perfectly-straight teeth, green eyes twinkling. Hell, there was even a little glow to his cheeks- or was he just imagining it? Qrow gulped, sidling away from the man instinctively. Why was Clover so excited about all this?

"…am I missing something?" Winter asked flatly, watching the two with a confused, albeit unimpressed expression.

Thankfully, the door opened and a flood of children rushed out, immediately cutting short any conversation Qrow would've had to have with Clover or Winter. It was a good thing, too- for a moment there, he almost thought Clover looked _cute,_ and he was _not_ prepared to unpack _that_ today _._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	4. Playmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can tell just how tired I've been over the past few weeks especially when you realize I've written this fic without even adding my baby!Ruby headcanon which I always write her with. So, fyi, edits have indeed been made so that my smol infant has a lisp. All my bb!Ruby fics have her with one. Oops!

**Playmates**

It was the strangest way to settle into a routine, and yet, here he was, settling in as if he'd been here all along. The ease of it all made Qrow both curious and strangely terrified.

Ruby quickly adapted to coming out to meet him with a backpack full of tales of adventure and wonder and little drawings which Qrow begrudgingly (but not really, they were _adorable_ ) collected on the fridge. She understood exactly when it was time to tell Uncle Qrow about everything that happened at daycare, when to give him puppy dog eyes to ask for extra ice cream, and when to curl up into the most precious little ball on the couch, all tuckered out in that way that made his stone-cold heart melt into pudding. Her bright eyes shone endlessly, always eager to see what tiny adventure they'd have that day.

Qrow was a little sick of their 'adventures', to be perfectly honest. Before taking her in, he had thought often about what could go wrong- but he hadn't thought brushing and braiding her hair would be one of the biggest challenges. Nor had he thought his final fight of the day would always be getting her to brush her teeth. Figuring out how to sneak vegetables into her dinners had been a headache and a half, leaving him exhausted after already-long days.

And yet, he didn't mind it. The motions quickly became familiar, with the smiling, awkward face of young Jaune Arc waiting for Ruby at the door each morning while the blond did a headcount becoming the norm. His body moved like clockwork each day, taking him between his apartment and the daycare with ease.

He hated to admit it, but Clover had also become a fairly substantial part of that routine. Not in the actual _time_ he saw the young man, of course- that was limited to picking up and dropping off Ruby each day, a few scant minutes where Clover would approach him carefully by the door. Clover always acted hesitant around him in the most painfully polite way, as if unsure whether the elder would flit away at the nearest provocation. It almost made Qrow feel bad.

Especially considering the coffee cup that was always waiting for him each morning without fail.

But every time Qrow felt bad about it, Clover would prove yet again that he was far too confident, and Qrow's guilt would fade away in an instant.

"You really don't need to," Qrow insisted, holding up a hand to decline the offered cup the third day it was offered.

Clover had an intensity about him that unsettled Qrow, an air of straightforward tenacity that made him want to hide. Green eyes didn't even blink when Clover replied, "I may not _need_ to, but I certainly _want_ to."

Qrow could only roll his eyes and take the cup, trying to ignore the warmth that heated up his fingertips, running all the way up into his cheeks as Clover's fingers brushed against his. The younger man seemed to put so much _weight_ in his words, and it was enough to make Qrow want to disappear.

He didn't like the meaning in that clear, green gaze. He didn't like it one bit. _Weight_ led to _want_ led to _what he couldn't have_ led to _regret._ He didn't feel like regretting much else in his life- he hadn't even hit thirty, and yet, everything seemed like a mistake in hindsight.

It felt uncomfortable to pre-emptively label Clover 'a mistake'. He still hadn't even figured out what the hell the kid wanted from him yet. (That was a lie. He had long ago figured out what Clover wanted, and he refused to even acknowledge it with Ruby so close by.)

If he were to be honest, though, it was a little embarrassing just how often the young man's face would appear in his errant thoughts throughout his meetings.

Still, those morning coffees were much appreciated. With caffeine in his system, he was almost more willing to talk to the younger- and over time, talk, he did. Mostly about Clover- he felt far too uncomfortable sharing his own personal story when Winter could be around at any moment. _Wouldn't want to give her any ammo in these little fights of ours._

Clover was always more than happy to share about himself. "I'm in law school," the man explained on day six whilst they waiting for their charges to find their backpacks within their cubbies. "I'm taking the summer off-" and he chuckled at Qrow's automatic expression of disbelief, "-for personal reasons. It's a risky gambit, I know, but I needed a bit of a break."

"And your idea of a break," Qrow said flatly, "is taking care of a hyperactive four-year-old?"

Clover just flashed that trademark grin of his, winking at Qrow. It took every muscle in Qrow's body not to flinch in response- he still wasn't used to it, no matter how many conversations he had with the man. "Marrow keeps me young," Clover teased. "Don't you feel the same about Ruby?"

Qrow felt vice-like arms grip onto his leg. Looking down unimpressed, he raised a brow at Ruby. "She makes me feel old," he groaned, deadpan.

Clover instantly laughed, squatting down to give Marrow a hug when the little boy emerged from the daycare's doors, his bright blue eyes shining. The boy cried, "Can we play in the park?"

Ruby nodded emphatically, detaching herself from Qrow's leg only to reach up and grab onto his hand, tugging insistently. "Can we, Uncle Qwow?"

Qrow bit the inside of his cheek. Yes, the daycare was only a minute away from a small park, but did he really have the energy for that? The day was growing uncomfortably hot as summer crept in ever-closer, and he just _really_ needed to have a small drink after the weird day of meetings he had had-

But Ruby's pale eyes were practically sparkling as she looked up at him, eager and expectant, her smile so timid and hopeful and-

 _Dammit, Summer, why does she look exactly like you?_ If the little girl had looked more like his best friend, he could've denied that face. Probably. But Ruby looked like her mother, and Qrow was weak. "…Fine," he relented with a sigh, glancing over to Clover. "You alright with that?"

"I'm happy, as long as the princess won't burn in the sun," Clover replied easily, slinging Marrow's tiny bag on his shoulder so that the little boy could grab onto Ruby's hand.

Ruby shook her head. "Jaune put sunscween on us!" she cheered, racing along the path with Marrow's hand in hers.

Qrow felt his face flush terribly as Clover muttered lowly, "I wasn't talking about her."

"Kid, I swear to god-" Qrow growled.

The younger didn't respond, merely laughing and following after the two excited children as they made their way down the sidewalk, leaving Qrow to wrestle with the fact that he had 1. Been called a 'princess' yet again, and 2. Had just agreed to spend more time with Clover.

Maybe the heat really was getting to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment if you're reading along! :)


	5. Memory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question: I may have another canon-verse FairGame idea in the works. Are y'all interested?

**Memory**

The great thing about the park was that Ruby was more than able to find fun on her own alongside Marrow, letting Qrow lurk on a bench, resting peacefully in the shade.

The terrible thing about the park was that there was only one bench for parents near the playground. It wasn't too big, either, meaning that once Clover got the kids going on the swings, Qrow could focus on pretty much nothing else other than the man seated next to him, close enough to touch.

Sighing, he fanned his face a little. Despite wearing just a light button-up and slacks, he was still melting as the afternoon sun hit its zenith. The feeble motion did nothing to alleviate it, unfortunately, and he was left to melt miserably, a half-smile pinned onto his face for whenever Ruby turned to look at him.

A small juice box appeared under his nose. "Take it," Clover said, an encouraging smile on his face.

Qrow froze for a moment, but finally complied, taking the juice and tearing the straw off the side nimbly. "Thanks. It's getting too warm these days."

"It'll only get warmer, so prepare yourself," Clover chuckled. He elbowed Qrow lightly, adding, "Maybe it's because you're still trying to look professional. You _can_ wear summer clothing, y'know."

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha, kid," he said dryly, stabbing the straw into the box clumsily. The juice was almost revoltingly sweet, but in the rising heat, he would take what he could get. "And give Winter ammo? Nah."

Clover leaned back, eyes following the two kids chasing each other across the tiny monkey bars. His pleasant grin never wavered. "Any reason why you seem so intent on antagonizing her? She's a good person."

"Oh, no doubt," Qrow replied instantly, waving to Ruby when she stuck her head out from the slide to look at him. "Her boss is a colleague. We go way back. It's fun messing with them."

"I see."

They sat for a few moments, listening to echoing peals of laughter across the jungle gym and the sound of distant traffic whirring along the nearest roads. Qrow found it odd, the way his body relaxed next to Clover's. Without the younger man's sidelong glances, he almost felt like it was natural to be there.

When that fact finally clicked in his mind, however, Qrow's eyes snapped open and he lurched forward, coughing on his juice. Immediately, Clover's hand was between his shoulder blades, patting lightly as the man murmured, "Hey, you okay?"

He was probably shining scarlet with embarrassment. _Goddammit._ Qrow finally cleared his throat and nodded, hiding his burning face from the younger and directing his attention to Ruby, eyes glazed over as he threw around this new, alarming thought in his brain.

 _I'm not_ actually _interested in him, am I?_ Because yes, he had found men attractive occasionally in the past- Taiyang would never let go of how Qrow had silently pined after Professor Ozpin (back then just a department head, not the dean) in the most one-sided, clumsy freshman-year crush back in the day- but he hadn't been in a relationship with one before. He'd never even entertained the thought of another man having feelings for him, despite his fair share of relationships with women.

He frowned, leaning forward, leaning his chin into his hands. Was Clover _actually_ interested in him? The younger was nothing if not flirtatious towards him, but perhaps that was just… Clover.

He just didn't know.

Qrow groaned, pushing his bangs out of his eyes and wiping his forehead. Maybe he did need to start dressing for the weather- it was getting far too warm.

Across the playground, he caught sight of Ruby. The girl had stilled, head cocked to the side, watching him curiously. Instantly recognizing her confusion, he smiled wide and waved, spurring her back into action as she continued to clumsily push Marrow on the swing set.

It was only then that he suddenly felt the cool touch still lingering on his back. Jerking forward, he twisted so Clover's hand fell away, instantly mourning the loss of the chill. "I-I'm good now, bud."

Something in Clover's eyes seemed to dim- or maybe that was just the shadows of the leaves moving in the wind, Qrow didn't know. Clover replied, "So, Qrow. I had a question."

Clearing his throat and scooting ever-so-slightly away from Clover ( _How did I not notice his hand was still there?!)_ Qrow nodded, giving him space to continue.

Clover leaned forward, keeping his eyes trained on the kids. "I've only ever seen Ruby's dad come here before you. Is… is there a mother in the picture?"

Well. That was not what he'd been expecting.

Qrow's heart stilled for a moment before blood rushed into his head, pulse accelerating, breaths shaky. He took a moment to pause, composing himself. "…Not anymore, unfortunately."

Clover didn't respond, giving him space to speak further. Unfortunately, Qrow didn't exactly _want_ to discuss it.

Finally, he muttered, "Summer passed away this fall."

Qrow heard the sharp intake of breath by his side as Clover began to process it. "I… didn't know."

He shrugged. "It was right after Ruby's birthday. We don't talk about it much. The girls are still... coming to terms with it." The words tasted sour on his tongue, though, as his mind drifted to Yang. His elder niece was currently at a summer camp. They had brought her there in the hopes of cheering her up, distracting her a bit, but it still didn't feel right to not have Yang at home with them.

 _The girls aren't over it? Hell,_ I'm _not over it- I'll never be._

"Qrow-"

"I need a drink."

Summer Rose had been one of the best people in Qrow's life. He sighed, checking his watch- it was only 3pm. He needed to get out of this heat, he needed to remove those sweat-soaked clothes, and he needed to distract himself before he got too far lost in the rabbit hole of guilt. It wasn't like he could actually indulge in a drink- not like he wanted, not when Ruby was still in his care.

"Ruby!" he called, waving over his niece. "Time to go home!"

To his surprise, his niece didn't complain, skipping over to him. Looking up at him with those eyes that looked too much like her mother's, Ruby smiled. "Can we eat ice cream?"

He smiled thinly. "After dinner? Yeah we can."

She cheered, slinging her giant backpack onto her shoulders with all the grace of a toddler.

A strong grip on his elbow turned him back over to Clover. "Qrow, forget I asked," Clover said quietly, waving Marrow over as well. "I'll… I'll see you Monday?"

For once, Clover wasn't looking him in the eyes. Qrow's mouth fell open a little, eyes widening involuntarily at the younger man's unease. "…Yeah."

Clover smiled, but for once, there was no wink- just a furrow in his brow, a quick nod of the head, before he walked away, leaving Qrow by that tiny bench with a confused toddler by his side and an even more confused heart.


	6. Rainy Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the new Fair Game fic I mentioned last chapter:
> 
> [Things We Said](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24245074)! It's a story set in the canon-verse focused simultaneously on Fair Game and Team STRQ's journey through Beacon. Hope you enjoy!

**Rainy Day**

Monday morning ended up being the worst way to start off the week. Despite the prior heat, it was damp and miserable, Vale's sky grey and gloomy. It was a far cry from the clear blue of the week before. The chill bled through Qrow's large windows and he woke up with a sniffle and a pounding ache between his eyes, only souring things further.

The rain always made Qrow a little too grouchy, the humidity making his hair frizz up and his joints ache. He had never been a fan of it, even as a child. And, after everything which had happened in November with Summer, he doubted he'd be a fan of it any time soon.

Still, it was a little bit soothing to find Ruby pressing her nose against the window while he packed her backpack with her snacks for the day, her large eyes watching droplets drip hypnotically off of roof tiles and onto the windowsill outside. "Uncle Qwow?" she asked once he beckoned her over, hairbrush in hand.

He hummed, not even bothering to pretend he was in a cheery mood. A headache had been building up all of Sunday, and it seemed to have decided to explode right that morning. _And I have that meeting with Jimmy at 10, and Oz wants to chat afterwards, and Glynda needs to go over those reports, then I gotta check in with Tai… god, I need to go to bed._

It was 6:30 in the morning. There was so much time before his meeting, and he had already done all the work he needed to prepare the day before...

He had a long day ahead of him.

Ruby wasn't to be deterred. "It's waining today," she murmured thoughtfully.

He nodded, humming as he tied thin, dark hair into low pigtails. "Get your boots on." His voice was clipped, and he hated that it was so- Ruby didn't understand why he wasn't a fan of the rain. She was still just a bit too young.

Still, even he had to smile when she bolted out of the car in the parking lot, jumping gleefully into the huge puddle beside the door in her purple and red rain boots, just absolutely drenching poor Jaune. The blond merely sighed, shoulders slumping slightly, the young man muttering, "I'll go get Saph while I change," before trudging away, defeated, presumably to find another Arc to perform the headcount and greet the guardians.

Qrow had barely finished scolding Ruby for that behaviour (he didn't really mean it, and she knew it, too, the cheeky thing) when a throat cleared behind him. Qrow shifted, straightening up and moving the lip of his dark umbrella up slightly to see who was standing there.

He wasn't exactly surprised to see Clover. That would've been silly, considering where they were. Still, to see familiar green watching him carefully underneath a clear umbrella, the transparency displayed in the coffee cup in his hand and the hesitance in his stance and the bite of perfect teeth on a thin lower lip made Qrow tremble.

"Your usual," Clover murmured at last as Marrow yawned and trudged through the door, his hair matted against dark skin where the rain had still managed to hit his bangs from under his oversized raincoat.

Qrow smiled wanly, tapping Ruby's nose lightly and waving goodbye as she beamed and tottered inside, all his grumpiness from the morning forgiven. With her out of sight, he turned around, his hand automatically reaching out for the cup. Before it moved past his side, however, he paused, tucking his hand away into his pocket. "Hey. You sure?"

Clover shrugged. "If you'll have it."

Qrow examined him for a moment before sighing, ruffling his hair in annoyance. "Yeah, kid. God knows I need it right now." He titled back his umbrella and took the cup, letting himself pause with fingers brushing against Clover's. "…Sorry for freakin' out last week. It's still-"

"No, it's my fault," Clover said, a sheepish, wry grin growing on his face. His whole body seemed to relax, and he stepped just a bit closer- just enough for Qrow to recoil on instinct, pulling his hand back with the coffee. Clover rolled his eyes at his response, but didn't move any further, simply adding, "I shouldn't have asked, still. I just wanted to make sure."

Qrow paused mid-sip. "Make sure of what?"

A little spark lit up Clover's eyes. Qrow should've recognized the warning. "That I wasn't intruding."

Well. If there had been any doubt as to where Clover's interests lay, they were certainly gone now.

And yet, the coffee sliding down his throat was warming him from the inside out, easing the headache and soothing his nerves. Emboldening him, perhaps. He didn't have meetings till 10, and he didn't need to look pretty for James.

Maybe that was why the words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Where do you get this coffee?" he asked suddenly.

Clover blinked for a moment, surprised at the sudden question. Then, he relaxed, gesturing easily up the road. "There's a small café up the way. Cozy, not too busy. Why?"

 _I'm going to regret this._ "Today's going to be a long day. I'm definitely going to need a second cup, at least."

Clover raised a brow, a smile slowly growing on his face.

 _Oh, fuck it._ "I'll treat you to one. As thanks for all of these." He raised the cup and shook it slightly, mourning how empty it already was.

But Clover's face split into the most breathtaking smile, his calm, slightly teasing demeanor falling away to reveal the actual clumsiness of a young twenty-something speaking to the object of their affections. His eyes creased, laugh lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes, his surprise and joy so clear that Qrow's breath caught in his throat at the sight of it all. "I thought you'd never ask."

Qrow shrugged. "Alright, can it, boy scout, let's go."

Clover playfully saluted, and they were on their way.


	7. Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell that I'm very single during this quarantine? Yikes. What even is believable human interaction? I wouldn't know.

**Comfort**

Coffee with Clover ended up being best summarized in one single sentence:

Qrow was no longer a horny freshman in college, which made the shift between Clover's nervousness to flirtation the moment they sat down at a table enough to give Qrow whiplash.

He didn't know what exactly had possessed him to ask Clover to join him. It wasn't pity- although he realized that Clover was going overboard in his attempts to woo Qrow, Qrow couldn't really deny that they were slowly working. The younger man was charismatic and resilient, clearly intelligent enough to be going to law school but also sociable enough to make even Taiyang sing him praises. Maybe Qrow really did just wanted to give the younger a chance.

 _No fucking way that's happening,_ the cynical part of his mind responded. He didn't do 'chances' _._ He didn't do this whole 'letting people in' business. There were three people who had been by his side in his life, and the only one left was currently off at Haven University for an international conference. And of the other two, one had abandoned him and the other had died, and all the relationships in the world couldn't fill in the gaps left by his sister and his first-love-turned-family.

Being a cynical, lonely bastard was his trademark though, wasn't it? It wouldn't do to break that façade, at least. One night stands and lonely mornings were what he had resigned himself to many, many years ago.

Still, he had to say that the time together was enjoyable. Clover was funny, he found- cracking jokes so straight-facedly that he barely had registered them before the younger was already moving on to the next. He was quick to tease and even quicker to back off, giving Qrow more than enough room to build banter.

It felt natural. And, by the end of it, Qrow wasn't shying away from the meaningful looks Clover sent his way.

"So your meeting soon is with Winter's supervisor?" Clover asked as they readied to head out.

Qrow groaned. "Unfortunately, yeah. Old Oz wanted me to help some of James' professors with some of their content delivery. You should see how those idiots are presenting right now." He shuddered, pulling his umbrella out of the storage bin by the door. "Their poor students, honestly."

Clover merely laughed, shaking his head in amusement as he retrieved his own umbrella. "This guy can't be _that_ bad," he said, waving casually to the barista before holding the door open for Qrow. "I mean, he's good at his job, at least?"

Qrow sighed. "Yeah. Thank god we don't work together often though. Only types like Winter could handle him."

"Oh, and you couldn't?" Clover teased.

"He'd try and kick me out of a window if I was one of his staff. It's okay, I'd save him the trouble by jumping myself," Qrow replied dryly.

Clover could only laugh as they walked the short distance back to the parking lot of the daycare. The rain was still gently falling, but Qrow didn't mind as much as before. Just as predicted, the second cup of coffee had helped ease the headache, helping him finally feel ready to take on whatever stiff, lackluster complaint James could throw at him that day.

When they finally reached the dented bumper of Qrow's beat-up car, he asked, "Do you… need a ride back home?"

"As much as I'd love to join you, I can walk. It's not far from here." The question still made Clover look more content than Qrow had ever seen him before. "Thanks for the coffee, Qrow," he said earnestly. "I was right- you make some pretty good company."

Qrow rolled his eyes, waving off the compliment. "If you're trying to butter me up so that I can watch Marrow sometime, it ain't workin' pal, so don't-"

"You shouldn't do that, y'know," Clover murmured suddenly.

That stopped him in his tracks. Qrow paused, lifting his umbrella up to look at Clover's face. The younger man's smile had faded, leaving him staring steadfast at Qrow. "I'm not quite sure what you're-"

"I'm saying," Clover sighed, all weary exasperation, "that you shouldn't deflect compliments." His voice dropped for a moment, growing thoughtful- wanting. "I mean it. You're a good guy, Qrow."

Qrow gulped, averting his gaze. "Y'know, kid," he said at last, keeping his stare fixated solely upon the bumper of his car (when had it grown so rusty? He was going to have to take it in for repairs soon. Maybe Pietro knew someone who could get him a cheap job, since he didn't care about aesthetics, only praying the vehicle didn't crumble with Ruby inside one day) "I'm not… sure what you're looking for."

A warm hand rested upon his shoulder, drawing his attention back up to Clover. To his absolute surprise and immediate horror, the man let his umbrella hang by his side, stepping forward to take shelter underneath Qrow's, effectively trapping him against his car. Qrow felt his entire face flush, unable to escape as suddenly, Clover's warmth was all he could focus on.

He felt Clover's hand squeeze his shoulder. "Maybe you shouldn't think so hard, old crow," he teased lowly. His intentions couldn't have been clearer if he had painted them across his forehead, and all Qrow could do for a moment was stare boggle-eyed at the sudden closeness, the younger man's proud features far too close for comfort.

If Qrow could've melted into the pavement and hid there forever, he would've.

Unfortunately he couldn't. So, he did the next best thing, the one thing he'd always been good at when the going got tough.

He flirted his way out.

With moves so practiced he almost felt ashamed, Qrow let himself look back at Clover, lips parted and quirked up in a smirk, eyes half-lidded, staring evenly at the younger with all the (fake) ease in the world. "You sound like... you wanna change my mind, Clover," he drawled, letting his voice linger on the younger's name.

Clearly, it had the desired effect. Clover's eyes shot wide open as he stepped back, a deer in the headlights, absolutely flabbergasted… as Qrow snapped his umbrella shut and slipped into the car. Through the window, Qrow called, "I'd say we should go for drinks, but I promised I wouldn't until Tai came back so… tough luck, kid. I'll just have to see you later."

And as he waved, he saw Clover's flustered shock turn into pure, amazed wonder, and he heard Clover's laughter following him all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're reading along, let me know what you think of this goofy lil fic thus far!


	8. Calling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that I'm a bit more free, I've completely lost all sense of a schedule. What even is time? How in the world do I stay motivated to do my work? Beats me.
> 
> (but for real I need like... a study buddy or something to keep me on track. this university-online nonsense is wild)

**Calling**

"Mawwow! Weiss!" Ruby shrieked, running over to her two friends, arms akimbo as she sprinted down the sidewalk, her backpack bouncing comically upon her tiny shoulders.

Marrow's face perked up instantly as he waved to his friend, rocking back and forth on his heels as he held onto Clover's hand. "Ruby!" he called brightly, tugging on Clover's arm to go with him. "What is it?" Little Weiss had also perked up upon seeing Ruby. Rather than openly calling out to her, though, the child had begun to slowly creep away from her older sister as Winter spoke briskly to Jaune about something at the door.

Qrow laughed as he followed behind Ruby, watching her excitedly spill the details of their afternoon plans with her friends. While he had known the news would brighten her day, he hadn't realized just how much explosive energy she could pack in that tiny little body. Ever since he had told her about it that morning, she had been bouncing off the walls.

Clover moved to stand beside him as the three children spoke in garbled tones, the conversation quickly drifting into three separate monologues that they still seemed to all understand. "Hey, you," the younger man murmured, winking at Qrow and tucking his hands into his pockets.

Qrow rolled his eyes, but his smile was automatic upon seeing the redness of Clover's ears. He had ended up coming to the daycare a bit late the day before thanks to a meeting that ran long, so he hadn't seen the younger since Qrow had abandoned him in the parking lot after their coffee. It was gratifying to see that even just a hint of a smile from him was enough to melt Clover's boundaries instantly.

_It's been a while since I've seen that kind of reaction to me._

Summer had always been the only one, albeit in a platonic sense.

Clover pressed a warm cup of coffee into Qrow's hand, and the elder now recognized the tiny logo as the one belonging to the small café they had visited together. "Your usual, sir," he said teasingly.

"I'd expect nothing less." Qrow took a sip, humming in approval, then let his eyes fall onto Ruby again. He was exhausted- it was only week two, and he was already ready to take a vacation- but seeing her so joyful made it worth it. It made him feel like he was doing something right, despite how clumsy he was as a guardian.

"So, what's the occasion?" Clover asked.

"Her big sis is at summer camp, but today she'll be coming home for a few days." Taiyang had explained the whole thing to him (and demanded a video call with both the girls that evening) enough times to drill it into Qrow's head for the next decade and back. "Ruby's… a little excited."

"No kidding." Clover laughed as Ruby, Marrow and Weiss all waved at them and Winter before marching into the daycare, tugging Jaune's arm to join them. "I thought she was an energetic kid, but _wow."_

"You have no idea," Qrow chuckled wryly. "She loves her sis a lot. It'll be good to have them together for a few days."

Clover raised a brow. "Are you ready to handle _two_ kids for the week?"

Qrow immediately deflated. "God, no."

Before Clover could retort, Winter walked briskly towards them, a stern expression on her face. As always, she was sharply dressed, clearly heading over to Beacon soon for the workday. "Qrow," she said dryly.

When she didn't elaborate further, he responded, "Yes…?"

She crossed her arms, fixing him with a hard glare. "Dr. Ironwood-"

Leaning over to Clover, he stage-whispered, "Oh, so _he's_ a doctor, what am I? Chump change?"

Her eyebrow twitched while Clover bit back a smile. "Dr. Ironwood," she repeated, "has informed me that you will be taking over the formatting of the online platform for our department." The woman began to list out rote memorization of his new duties, decided as per his meeting with James the day before. At the end of it all, she said primly, "Is this accurate?"

Qrow stared deadpan at the woman, taking another long sip of coffee. "And you couldn't have confirmed all that with Jimmy _why?_ "

"Because," she replied harshly, "I need… he said you'd be done it soon, with the way you work. And I need to ask you something."

He frowned, gesturing for her to continue. There was an edge in her eyes, the slightest crease in her brow that concerned him. Something was going on, and he wasn't sure what. "Okay, and that is?"

Winter sighed, and for the first time, Qrow saw the uptight student as what she actually was- a stressed-out young woman trying to work on her Master's thesis. His eyes darted between her and Clover, realizing for the first time that they were likely close to being the same age. It was a little jarring to think.

Rather than just explaining herself right then and there, the woman sighed, shaking her head. "I'll be in touch," she said curtly, checking her watch before strutting away to her own car.

Clover watched her leave, absolutely perplexed by the exchange. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Qrow frowned, shrugging. "Honestly? I'm not sure," he admitted. "I'll check in with James and see what's happening later." _Or, at least, I'll get Oz to._

With that odd encounter out of the way, however, the pair didn't have much time to chat. After all, he had to go pick Yang up from her elementary school by noon. Before that, he had a boatload of work to get through, plus a call with Tai to plan. _Also have to make sure all the snacks are hidden, because Yang is going to go through all of my cupboards…_ He made the mental note to lock up everything with his whisky, high up where even the feisty little blonde couldn't reach.

Clover simply nodded, giving him a playful salute and heading out. "Try not to miss me too much!" he teased, walking away confidently. Qrow paused by his car, watching the tall young man's figure retreat around the corner- shoulders broad and built, gait strong and self-assured, a striking figure in their plain little corner of the city. The fact that Clover was still so clearly interested in _him,_ of all people…

He had other things to worry about, however. He had a long, _long_ day ahead of him. And, after numerous meetings were taken care of, his work was submitted, and his house was sufficiently prepped for a second little gremlin, he drove on over to Yang's elementary school and waited in the humid summer air.

He didn't mind, though. The look on Ruby's face when her big sister greeted her outside the daycare was enough to make everything worth it.


	9. Planning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longer chapter since I've been lost in the abyss the past week. Enjoy!

**Planning**

The way that Yang told Qrow and Ruby of her adventures at summer camp would've made one think she had been gone for centuries, the little girl somehow managing to find a narrative foothold in every minute of every day spent away from home. Qrow was absolutely flabbergasted by the amount of enthusiasm Yang had the moment Ruby was back at her side, the older proudly recounting each tale to her adoring audience. No moment was too small to be overlooked; no minute was left out. And, of course, Ruby trailed after her big sister, absolutely enraptured by the stream of nonsense falling from her big sister's lips.

Eventually, he pulled open his computer and, after ensuring with the daycare that Yang could join Ruby the next day despite being older than most of the children there, set up the call to Taiyang. The two girls fought to sit on Qrow's lap for the call, with Ruby eventually winning while Yang clambered onto the stool next to him. Qrow could only laugh as his best friend's eyes immediately teared up when he saw his little girls, the man's normally-coherent words crumbling into nothing but mushy, worried questions for the children. The girls laughed and teased their emotional father, and after many promises to keep the girls safe, the call was finished.

 _You're such a softie, Tai._ Qrow didn't mind, though- becoming a father was the best thing that had ever happened to his best friend, and Taiyang wouldn't give the little girls up for the world.

…that didn't stop Qrow from taking a screenshot when Taiyang began to sniffle well and proper, however, when Yang and Ruby wished him good luck on the rest of the conference.

Afterwards, Qrow watched the two girls in amazement as they ran around the apartment, immediately disassembling his couch to make a fort out of the cushions. Nursing a mug of coffee over some emails was made all the more enjoyable with their peals of giddy laughter rushing through the normally-quiet apartment, warming him from head to toe. After a little while, he joined them, perching on the armchair and opening up his movie collection, ready to endure whatever princess-y nonsense they decided to subject him to.

What they chose in the end was something mundane, and he was going to have to spend a long, _long_ time vacuuming the popcorn out of the creases in the upholstery, but he didn't mind. Seeing his two nieces together was _perfect._

After all, Yang was smiling.

It had taken her a long time to calm down after the loss of Summer. He could still remember the first time he had come to visit Taiyang after the funeral. Yang's pale blue, almost purple eyes had been so bloodshot and so broken, the little girl holing herself up in her bedroom and refusing to talk to anyone. She had screamed insults at him, at Taiyang, at every single person who had even attempted to speak to her. Even Ruby hadn't been safe from her rage, the younger girl hiding away for weeks from everyone else out of fear that "Sissy will be mad".

It had broken Qrow's heart. Ruby had been far too young to understand, but Yang? Yang had realized that her mother wasn't coming back home ever again. No child should have had to understand that.

So to see the feisty child gain back her liveliness, that smile on her face brilliant enough to illuminate even Qrow's empty apartment… it was enough to make it all ache just a little less. For that, Qrow was thankful.

However, when bedtime rolled around, Ruby let out a tiny question which shifted the mood entirely. "Uncle Qwow," she asked, all sleepy smiles and giggles as she held onto Yang's hand, "can we have some ice cream before bed?"

Qrow was ready to spoil them and agree- Yang would be heading back to camp by the end of the week, after all- but seeing the blonde girl's face darken completely threw him off. The girl shook her head, quietly tugging her younger sister's hand. "Uncle Qrow said we have to go to bed," Yang explained primly, her voice losing that spark it had held only moments before. "We should go."

Ruby pouted but obeyed, following her sister as always.

Qrow frowned, helping them wash up and getting them tucked in with little difficulty. Ruby was more than ready to curl up beside her big sister, and within seconds of laying her head on her pillow, the little girl was out.

Yang was a different matter entirely. The girl's pale eyes stared up at the ceiling, a pout engrained onto her lips. Qrow sighed, tiptoeing around the bed to sit on Yang's side, careful to not disturb Ruby. Pushing Yang's hair off her forehead, he whispered, "What's up, kid?"

Yang chewed her lip, her cherubic face locked in turmoil. Finally, the girl whispered, "I don't want ice cream. I want cookies."

Qrow's breath caught in his throat and he froze, letting her words sink in, permeating through his skin and into his heart. She wanted cookies. Of course she wanted cookies.

Letting out a shaky breath, he leaned down, pressing an affectionate kiss to the girl's hair. "Go to bed, Yang," he scolded. "You're going with Ruby to daycare tomorrow."

The crease between her thin eyebrows relaxed slightly, but didn't fade; however, rather than throwing a tantrum, she closed her eyes and rolled over, cuddling her little sister without complaint.

Qrow understood what Yang wanted, and the thought kept him up long past sane hours. Summer's cookies had always been the best. Long after the girls fell asleep properly, Qrow found himself hunched over his laptop, searching up cookie recipes in between sending emails for work. Winter had been right about his ability to get through work quickly, but even she would've been surprised at how efficiently he tore through his list of tasks that night, links to recipes piling up in a spare document on the side. By the time he was finally out of steam, the sun was set to rise in a few hours and he had already finished all of the work he had been set to do the following day.

Finally, after a scant two hours of sleep, he roused himself again for the day, got the girls and their breakfast and snacks ready, brushed and braided and pinned back their hair the best he could, and got them all to Arc ABC House with little fuss. Ruby was so excited to bring Yang to daycare. To her credit, Yang didn't seem frazzled by the quiet, pleading request she had given him the night before. Nothing but wild smiles and daring eyes filled her face as she proudly walked into the daycare with Ruby, ready to play with her sister's friends.

"How was night one?" Clover asked. His warm smile instantly shifting into a restrained, concerned expression as he saw the fatigue and pensiveness in Qrow's face. "Did something happen?"

Qrow shook his head, his plan for the day hazy in his mind. "No. I just didn't sleep well, that's all."

"I'm glad I brought you the coffee then."

"Yeah. It's great." His voice wasn't convincing and he knew it, so he just resigned himself to taking a long sip. It _did_ help. Just not enough.

Thankfully, Clover didn't push, instead tucking his thumbs into his pockets and asking casually, "So… would you be free for another coffee today?"

Qrow couldn't help but smile as he saw the pink colouring Clover's ears. Still, he shook his head. "I've got to do something today." Quickly, he explained his plan to Clover, the younger's face melting in surprisingly-warm empathy as he spoke.

Finally, Clover asked, "Have… you ever baked before?"

Qrow had certainly baked… if Clover meant to say that Qrow had sat there and thrown flour at Summer's face, sneaking chocolate chips out of the bag whenever the short woman hadn't been looking. "Of course I have."

"Really?"

Qrow straightened his back, raising his chin haughtily. "Look, bud, you don't think I can do it?"

Clover raised a brow, a devilish glint entering his eye, a smile growing and growing until he was positively smug.

…And that was how Clover ended up in Qrow's car, ready to go with the man to the grocery store and then to his apartment to help him bake cookies for his nieces. _I cannot believe this,_ Qrow thought bitterly as he pulled out of the parking lot in his clunky old beater. _This kid shouldn't be here._

Because if Clover kept making eyes at Qrow while he was driving, Qrow didn't know how he would even make it to the grocery store.


	10. Domesticity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some fluff (but not really) to brighten up these ridiculous, dystopian times. Let me know what you think!

**Domesticity**

Qrow genuinely had no idea how he managed to make it through their trip to the grocery store without combusting. Clover’s eyes barely left his face the entire time, the intensity of his stare more than enough to make Qrow ten times more conscious about his driving and his old, ramshackle vehicle.

The woman at the register was tittering as Clover easily unloaded all their groceries, smiling in that friendly, easygoing way of his. Her giggling only ramped up, however, when Qrow ambled forward, trying and failing to avoid all eye contact. She looked at the two of them as if they were a _couple._

 _Well, what the hell else is she supposed to think?_ he groaned silently, wincing as Clover walked around him to begin packing their bags after the items were scanned. As he passed, Clover’s hand lightly rested for just a moment on Qrow’s hip, so comfortable to enter his personal space that Qrow barely realized the effortless touch until Clover was already setting a large bag of flour into the first bag. Then, Qrow felt his entire face heat up, the man yanking out his credit card and paying without even looking at the total.

The cashier most _definitely_ saw the exchange, along with Qrow’s reaction. Her cooing and knowing giggles haunted him all the way out of the store.

And now, they were in Qrow’s apartment, and suddenly Qrow felt extremely unsure about this whole thing. “Y’know, I’m more than happy to do it myself- seriously, you don’t need-“

“But I’m good at baking!” Clover quipped back easily, as if he had been ready to shut down any of Qrow’s protests. “I did it a lot in university. Besides, are you really in a position to be turning down help?”

 _Dammit. This kid…_ He waved his hand dismissively, pulling out mixing bowls and the one whisk that had been collecting dust at the back of his utensil drawer. “Alright,” he sighed. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Clover grinned, winking at the elder as he pulled Qrow to stand in the small kitchen next to him. “Don’t worry, I will.”

Qrow gulped. Suddenly, the small space seemed even tinier that usual, Clover’s large frame all Qrow could see.

Thankfully, they had a timer- picking up the kids. At the store, Clover had asked how much they would be making. Realistically, with Yang and Ruby, there wasn’t even a limit to how many they should make- every single one would get eaten in a matter of days. So, as Qrow pulled up the recipe he had settled on and began portioning out ingredients, the scent of chocolate chips and sugar and melted butter filling his nose, all he could do was send a little silent prayer to Summer. _Please help these turn out well._

As it turned out, Clover hadn’t been lying. The young man whipped up cookie dough startlingly fast, making Qrow’s clumsy attempts to line baking sheets and silicone trays in preparation a little pathetic in comparison. Clover didn’t seem to mind, relishing in the opportunity to tease the elder.

Soon after the first set of cookies were in the oven, however, it became abundantly clear that not all of the ingredients Clover had insisted on buying were actually for their baking adventure. Qrow had been so fixated on avoiding eye contact with everyone who seemed intent on giggling at the apparent ‘couple’ that he had completely missed what exactly Clover had brought home. “What’s the big idea?” Qrow asked, watching Clover dice up a sweet onion.

“I’m making lunch!” Clover replied, completely at ease in Qrow’s kitchen.

Qrow stared at him blankly. “You’re making lunch.” The words fell out of his mouth slowly, each one punctuated by increasing disbelief. “You know, you _really_ don’t need to. I’m perfectly capable of cooking.”

“But I’ve got to prove to you I can cook,” Clover said airily.

“What, why?”

The younger man shrugged. “Isn’t the best way to a man’s heart his stomach?”

“You…” Qrow hung his head in his hands, already tired. How could he even reply to that? “I really can’t compete with you, huh?”

That brought a gleeful, triumphant smile onto Clover’s face as he moved onto mincing garlic. “Why would you want to?”

Qrow sighed, pulling out the remainder of the groceries from their bags. _Ah, he’s making pasta. I guess I’ll do_ something. Qrow set himself to work, finding an empty pot to begin boiling water. As he worked, he asked errantly, “So… why _did_ you take a break from law school? You never really explained why.”

To his surprise, Clover’s voice sounded a little strained as the man said, “Things got a little complicated, so I decided it may be best. Besides, Elm needed a babysitter, so I was happy to help.” When Qrow turned to look at Clover, waiting for him to explain, Clover continued, “His mother and I went through our undergraduate degrees together. I thought it was only right to help, considering I hadn’t been around for most of Marrow’s life, being caught up in grad school and whatnot.”

Qrow narrowed his eyes, leaning against the sink while he waited for the pot to fill up with water. He recognized the look on Clover’s face. He had seen it on students time and time again- pure, weary resignation and distrust. “Things got ‘complicated’, huh?”

“Yeah,” Clover said, smoothing out his features as he moved onto chopping up parsley, sensing Qrow’s inquisitive stare. “It’s really a shame. I figured that it was better to take a break than stain my reputation before I got out there, you know?”

Qrow’s heart sank in sympathy. _So it_ was _a scandal. What was it- plagiarism? Cheating?_

He took a moment to peek into the oven through the door, smiling as he saw perfect little chocolate-chip cookies expanding beautifully on the tray. The smell was _heavenly._

The most important question, however, still needed to be asked. Qrow set the filled pot onto the stove, then began searching for a can opener for the tomatoes. “Did you do it?” When Clover stopped chopping altogether, confusion evident, Qrow continued easily, “Whatever it was that necessitating taking a break during one of the most intense routes of study to take care of a five-year-old. Were you guilty of it, or no?”

Slowly but surely, Clover began to shake his head. He seemed a little taken aback that Qrow would even bother to ask. “I wasn’t. It- there was no way for me to do it.”

“Okay.” And that was that.

“You’re not going to ask?”

Qrow shrugged. He had long since learned to ignore office politics. If he wanted that kind of drama, he wouldn’t taken up Ozpin’s offer to work as a full-time professor. “It’s not my business, so I won’t.”

To his surprise, Clover put down the knife and leaned against the counter, reaching around Qrow to grab the salt and pepper from the spice rack. As he moved, he rested his hand on the small of Qrow’s back, the touch making the elder jump in surprise. Clover didn’t move it though, taking a moment to pause and murmur meaningfully, “Thanks, Qrow.”

It took a moment for Qrow to regain his balance. He spluttered clumsily, “I work in Beacon- do you really think I’m going to shame a kid for some shit going on at school? Like honestly, university politics are weird-“

“A kid?”

“Huh?”

And just like that, all of warmth in the room dissipated. Clover put down the pan he had been preparing to make the sauce, turning to look at Qrow. “Do you really still think I’m just a kid?” His brow was knitted together, hurt clear as day in his eyes. “I’m not that much younger than you, you know.”

 _Fuck._ “Well, yes, but-“

Clover rolled his eyes, washing his hands in the sink and drying them roughly with a nearby towel. “But what?”

Qrow stepped back, sensing Clover’s rising frustration. “Look, I just-“

“Am I misreading signals here?” Clover frowned, barreling onwards and crossing his arms as he looked pleadingly at Qrow. “Do you… are you not interested in me? I thought-”

Was he interested in Clover? As Qrow looked at the younger man’s face, that clean-cut brown hair and those intelligent green eyes and that mouth that he’d been so close to so many times-

_Oh god, I-_

Apparently, it wasn’t enough. Clover walked past Qrow, grabbing his wallet and keys from the dining table and heading to the door of the apartment. Hurt echoed in every step. “Okay. I’ll see you later, Qrow. Good luck with the other cookies. I’m sure Yang and Ruby will like them.”

And just like that, Clover left his apartment, leaving Qrow behind with nothing but a tray of cookies that was quickly becoming overbaked and a pot of water boiling far too vigorously for Qrow’s lacking appetite.


	11. Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who _really_ wants to finish this story? Lol. Let me know what you think! I love reading your comments :D

**Revealed**

“Qrow.” Winter’s voice was stern, ready to take no grief from him.

“ _Doctor Branwen,_ ” Qrow replied, not even looking up from his phone. He was in the midst of trying to make an alternate meeting to go over the details of everything he had done for James the sleepless night before. He wanted the details finalized before the daycare let out.

He heard the telltale sound of a tapping shoe on pavement, so he sighed, tucked his phone away and plastered on the falsest smile he could muster. “And to what do I owe the pleasure, Miss Schnee?” he asked. He was, in reality, in no mood to play with Winter- however, after the abysmal incident over lunch with Clover and two batches of cookies burned due to his distracted carelessness afterwards, anything was better than being trapped in his own head any longer.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the hope and desire in Clover’s eyes flickering to hurt, then falling away to resigned heartache. Those last two looks didn’t suit the younger. _If only-_

And then, Qrow was back into the spiral. He was good at that; at talking himself in circles, simultaneously casting all the blame upon himself and also trying to desperately ignore the fact that he was at fault. _Taking the blame_ meant _taking responsibility_ meant _understanding that it had been his fault that people he cared about had gotten hurt_.

It had happened all the time with Taiyang. His best friend didn’t like seeing him drink. Qrow knew that- and still, he couldn’t bring himself to stop.

It had happened all the time with Raven. His twin sister had left him and Taiyang and her daughter behind. Yang didn’t even know that Summer hadn’t been her mother- how could they tell her about it, even if Raven hadn’t been the safest person for the baby to be around, if Qrow’s stubbornness was what finally made her move to a different continent and leave them all behind?

It had happened all the time with Summer. If Qrow could take back asking her to help him out at Beacon that day in November… he would trade anything for that. But he couldn’t.

And now, there was Clover. _Is he even remotely on the same level as Tai and Rae and Summer?_

The answer, of course, was no. He’d barely known the kid for a few weeks. There was no way in hell that he could feel the same way for Clover that it seemed the kid felt for him.

That didn’t mean that he _didn’t_ care about Clover. But now, he’d ruined it all.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Qrow jolted, finally paying attention to his surroundings once more. Qrow gaped at her for a moment, coming back to reality. He had been so deep within his own head that he hadn’t even realized she was speaking to him still. “What- what is it, kid?” The word _kid_ left his mouth and he winced.

Clover was the same age as Winter. Was that the issue? Was that why he kept calling Clover that?

Long since used to his derivative nicknames, Winter rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Look. I need a favour.”

 _That_ was a surprise. Winter looked frustrated and annoyed, but determined nonetheless. What in the world could she possibly be asking for? Yet, there was a desperate glint in her eye, a bitter twist to her mouth. She looked like a woman with few options.

So, Qrow listened. And to his surprise, what she needed was different from anything he could’ve ever guessed.

“Weiss’ birthday is coming up,” she explained quietly. “Our parents are getting divorced, though- and she’s supposed to go back to our father’s home for the period. Father’s going on a business trip and leaving her behind, like an _ass-_ “ she spat the word with such venom that Qrow had to flinch “-so I’m getting his butler to help me celebrate it.”

“Okay?” Qrow still didn’t understand his place in all this.

And then, Winter handed him a little card. It was an invitation to a child’s birthday party- all white and lacy, but still meant for kids nonetheless. “Bring your niece, if you can,” she finally said, as if letting go of a deep, wearying burden. “Weiss isn’t handling the divorce well. She’s only a child. At least Whitley is too young to understand.”

Qrow’s heart melted a little. Winter had always been nothing more than a weary, cold, but hardworking graduate student. To see her as a doting older sister warmed his heart. “I’ll… try and get her there.” The party was for that upcoming weekend. “Should I try and bring her older sister, too?”

Winter smiled thinly. “Yeah. I’m sure that Weiss would enjoy that.”

Qrow gave her a gentle smile. “I’ll check with their dad, but I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.”

Luckily, the daycare seemed to let out at last, and soon Ruby and Yang were running out of the door to see him. To Qrow’s surprise, neither Clover nor Marrow were around.

“Mawwow went with his uncle early,” Ruby explained when Qrow asked. “They were busy.”

Qrow winced. Clover had said nothing about needing to pick Marrow up earlier. Was he avoiding Qrow? _I guess I fucking deserve it, huh._

For the time being, Qrow had a few things he wanted to check in on. So, after he brought Ruby and Yang home and presented them a plate of cookies, enduring a chokehold of a hug from Ruby and shrieking excitement from Yang, he sat down and did what he needed to do.

He checked in with James about Winter’s situation. The man corroborated her story, weary concern emanating from his voice through the phone. “She’s trying her best, Qrow. Maybe don’t antagonize her so much, huh?”

After that quiet reprimand, he sent a message to Taiyang asking about the birthday party. Taiyang was more than happy to let the girls go, but only on one condition- if Qrow went as well.

While the girls enjoyed their cookies and giggled about their adventures at daycare that day, all Qrow could do was sink further onto his kitchen island and sigh. What the hell was he doing? He read over the invitation again. It was a sleepover.

_Well. I guess it could be worse._

After all, at least Clover wasn’t going to be there. His heart ached at the thought. _…Will he be there tomorrow morning?_

Qrow didn’t know what would be worse- not seeing Clover again, or having the younger distance himself. Either way, Clover’s heartbroken expression clumsily masked by a smile had made it clear that he didn’t want to interact with Qrow further.

He probably wasn’t going to be getting coffee the next day.


	12. Giving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 2 today. As usual, the best way to get me to write is to tell me I have giant projects due soon. I wrote 3 chapters of my original work today and am ripping through fic, too. I haven't started any of my projects for class (:

**Giving**

"Mawwow, Weiss' party is this week!" Ruby shrieked, rushing over to her friend and dragging little Weiss along. "You're going, right? Right?" Her silvery eyes shone with excitement and unabashed glee.

Marrow beamed back, looking between Clover and Ruby. "Yeah, I'm going!"

Clover kneeled down, a gentle smile on his face as he raised a hand to high-five Weiss. "It's your birthday!" he said gently. "I can't wait. Thanks for letting me tag along too, princess Weiss!"

Weiss pouted and crossed her arms. "I'm not a princess," she said haughtily, but the girl quickly gave in and high-fived Clover, her face alighting with a pure smile.

Qrow was torn watching the exchange. On one hand, his heart went out to Weiss. He couldn't imagine how it felt to be so young and be so _aware_ of the divorce. It was sort of like Yang's situation- he could only smile as he saw Yang grabbing Ruby and Weiss' hands, calling for Marrow and dragging them all into the daycare. The feisty little girl was like an older sister to them all. It suited Yang.

On the other hand, his heart just wouldn't settle down now that Clover was in front of him yet again. What could he say? His head ached- a lack of caffeine after another long night preparing presentations. It had taken him longer than usual that night, his mind drifting away to the attractive young man in front of him more times than he'd like to admit.

That attractive young man didn't seem too keen on talking to him, though. Sending him a smile that could've frozen a waterfall, Clover said, "I'm assuming your girls are going to Weiss' birthday."

"Yeah," he breathed after a moment. Clearing his throat, he repeated, "Yeah. I'll be chaperoning."

A flicker of shadow crossed Clover's face. "I see. I'll see you there, I suppose." To Qrow's surprise, he added, "Elm didn't want Marrow going to a sleepover alone. He's still quite scared of the dark- he'd freak out without someone he trusted there, to be perfectly honest."

"Ah." Qrow sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He had looked up the address on the invitation the night before. He hadn't realized that Winter's family carried such wealth, but it seemed he was going to be taking the girls into the lap of luxury for the sleepover. _So we're going to be together in some Schnee manor together overnight? Is this a joke?_

Clover wasn't laughing, a sight that cut into Qrow. He usually was so _warm,_ so to see him so detached was jarring. What could he say? How could he make the frustration that so clearly lingered underneath Clover's falsely pleasant expression disappear?

_You could apologize._

For what? For struggling to separate Clover as a young man who clearly desired him with Clover, the kid in law school the same age as Winter Schnee? How _could_ he separate it?

…he was being an ass, and he knew it.

Clover stretched, hands decidedly empty of coffee as he tucked them into his pockets and turned to make his way down the road, away from the daycare. It felt so wrong to see Clover leaving like that without a word, with nothing but the faintest of pleasantries behind them.

Qrow needed to fix this.

And yet, even he wasn't expecting those words to clumsily fall out of his mouth. "Clover wait- I need to ask you something."

Clover paused, glancing over his shoulder, his face a mask of pure politesse. _God, he is going to be a good lawyer with that kind of control,_ Qrow thought idly as the tall man turned to face him properly. "May I help you, Qrow?" Clover asked evenly.

Qrow sighed. "Look, I-"

 _Fuck._ What could he ask Clover?!

"Have you gotten the little princess a gift?"

Clover narrowed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. "Not yet. That was my plan for the day."

Qrow awkwardly jabbed a thumb to his car, still parked in the far corner of the lot. "I, um… I'm not so good with gifts," he babbled. It wasn't a lie- with the girls, he had always dragged Summer along to pick this out for his wallet to cover. "I'll give you a lift. Could you help me get something on behalf of the girls?"

Clover watched him carefully as if weighing his options. Was it worth it to go with Qrow?

Qrow prayed he'd think _yes._ Why, Qrow didn't know. He'd gotten so used to having Clover trying to worm his way into his life with that coy smile of his that seeing him so easily walking away from Qrow stung like nothing else.

When Clover didn't respond, Qrow stepped closer, lowering his voice so none of the other mothers still lingering and chatting in the lot as usual would overhear. "Look, if we're both going," he murmured, "we should probably smile for the kids, right?"

"…You really care about your nieces, don't you?"

"I'd do anything for them." He didn't need to think on that- that answer was one of the few things he could say with absolute certainty.

Clover sighed, running fingers through his reddish-brown hair, shining with flecks of gold in the sunlight. Qrow watched the callused digits move through each strand, wondering distantly how it would feel for his fingers to be tangled in that hair.

He froze, banishing the thought. God, he really was acting like a-.

Finally, Clover looked up at Qrow, a rueful smile on his face. "I suppose I can help you out," he said quietly. "Especially if it's to help the kids."

Qrow gulped, putting on an awkward smile. "Uh- yeah." _It's definitely not because I want you in my car again. Not at all._

But as they got into his car, Clover settling in so naturally into the seat next to him, looking as if he _belonged_ there, Qrow's eyes fell to Clover's hand resting on his lap. And, for the rest of the day, long after they went to the store and Clover helped him pick out a large stuffed animal Ruby and Yang could give to Weiss, the errant thought of what Clover's fingers would feel like intertwined with his- warm, rough, callused and strong and comfortable and maybe even _right-_ lingered on in his mind.


	13. Chaperone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess! Who! Wants! To finish! This story! Last chapter will be out tomorrow.
> 
> Real talk, Klein really should've been chaperoning these idiots, not Ruby and the kiddos

**Chaperone**

The day of Weiss’ party arrived before anyone could even blink. Qrow had spoken to the summer camp, getting permission for Yang to stay home an extra two days so she could go to the event; the girl had become so excited at the idea of a sleepover with her friends rather than the ‘weird kids at camp’ that Qrow couldn’t bear to tell her she wouldn’t be able to go, so he had tried his best to make sure Yang could tag along.

So, after daycare on Friday, he had packed two overnight bags for the girls and for himself, strapped them all into his car, and headed over to the Schnee family manor.

It was a grandiose affair. Winter stood awkwardly at the gates, far too professionally dressed for a five-year-old’s birthday party. When Qrow called her out on it, she simply rolled her eyes. “I’m ensuring that only approved chaperones and children are here,” she explained gruffly.

“But at the gate?” Qrow repeated, still confused as he locked up his vehicle.

Winter’s expression tensed up. “I no longer set foot into this house,” she said tightly. “Hence, I handled the preparations. This is the least I can do. Klein will take care of the rest.”

Qrow’s teasing smile fell away as the implications of her words settled into his gut. _I no longer set foot into this house._ The words were far too relatable for comfort.

Quietly, Qrow shouldered his bag and shooed Ruby and Yang along, the little girls squealing in excitement as they ran towards the massive front doors of the manor. Once they were out of earshot, he murmured, “You’re doing good, Winter. I mean it. Your sister’s lucky to have you.”

The unexpected sincerity of his words clearly threw Winter off-balance, the woman stepping back from him in shock. “Who are you and what have you done with-“

“Chill out- has Jimmy told you so many bad things about me that you wouldn’t believe I can be nice?”

She growled lowly, “Okay, so it _is_ you. Great.” After a beat, she added, “But… take care of them today. Klein’s great, but just one person. Thanks for helping.”

He grinned. “Will do.” With that, he waved goodbye and headed into the manor.

The party itself was a rambunctious affair. According to the stout, mustached butler, Klein, the entire estate- which sprawled across a startlingly-wide area, enough to make Qrow dizzy just by listening to Klein talk about it- was usually very austere. “Master Schnee believes in perfection and uniformity above all else,” he explained as he blew up another pastel-pink balloon, his face ruddy from the effort. “I personally think his version of ‘perfection’ can go rot in medieval times where it belongs-“

“Damn!” Qrow cackled, taping together the other balloons good-naturedly.

“-but I won’t let the little Miss be surrounded by white walls on her birthday!” the butler declared proudly.

It turned out he meant those words fiercely. The manor was decked out in ribbons and streamers, balloons and toys- the stuff of any child’s dreams. Bowls of candy and cookies and other treats lined one wall of the entrance hall, right outside of the small room Klein had converted into a miniature movie theatre. Giddy laughter and the soundtrack of a children’s animated movie blasted out of the room, bringing a smile to Qrow’s face as they continued to finish up the last of the decorations.

“The kids aren’t going to sleep tonight, are they?” Clover said wryly as he brought out a stack of plates from the kitchen. “There’s enough sugar in them to keep them awake for the next year and back.”

“A-ha, that’s my plan!” Klein chuckled. “We get them very sugar high now- and then, they’ll all run out of steam by 9pm.” When Qrow and Clover traded incredulous looks with the other parents who had joined them as chaperones, Klein shrugged, a devious smile on his face. “I don’t know about you folks, but I would love to sleep at some point today. And, unless there’s an issue, after the children are settled I’ll take care of any disturbances that happen with the children, so you all can rest. I already appreciate the help you’ve given to making the little Miss’s birthday so special.”

Qrow shook his head and simply laughed, getting ready to help Klein with the next task.

It was easier to focus on setting up the party than Clover’s constant presence by his side. Anytime he focused too hard on Clover, he just stumbled, unsure of what to do or say. Still, Clover never left his side; whether that was out of solidarity as one of the two men who had come to chaperone, or because of Clover’s feelings for Qrow, it was impossible to tell.

After a plethora of games and snacks and overly-energetic children by the droves, night finally fell. The cake was cut, the song was sung. Weiss looked happier and brighter, surrounded by Ruby, Yang, Marrow and all their little friends from the daycare, than Qrow had ever seen her. Klein cut her a piece of cake and gave her a hug, looking more proudly doting than even Taiyang with his girls. And then, the children were ushered into a large room that had been converted to their bedroom for the evening, sleeping bags laid across piles of blankets inside a makeshift fort lit up by fairy lights and filled with the gifts Weiss had been given by her friends.

It took a little doing, but eventually, the children were all sound asleep. Qrow cracked his neck from side to side, wincing- after seeing how he braided Ruby’s hair for bed, having perfected the skill over the past weeks, the rest of the girls had wanted him to braid theirs, too, much to the mothers’ delight. He was _exhausted._

His thoughts first went to a drink. _God,_ how he wanted one. But Taiyang was returning in a week, and he’d keep himself sober until his best friend came home.

The guest room that had been given to male chaperones to spend the night was empty save for Clover and Qrow. After bidding Klein a good night, Qrow stretched and collapsed upon a chaise lounge, ready to pass out for the night.

“You’ve gotten good at it, you know,” Clover murmured. Qrow sat up, sending him a confused look, to which Clover explained, “Being like a father. I’d almost think you _were_ their dad.”

Qrow snorted. “Sh, don’t say that in front of Tai. God knows he’s already terrified that I’m cooler than him.”

Clover rolled his eyes. “Fine. You’re a good _duncle_ then.”

Qrow raised his brows, too exhausted to ask anything further.

“Dad-uncle.”

“…you’re an idiot.” The words were painfully affectionate, as much as he didn’t want to admit it.

Clover’s smile was wan. “I’ll take ‘idiot’ over ‘kid’.”

“You-“ Qrow sighed, hanging his head between his knees. It was just him and Clover now. The kids were all asleep, and with any luck, they’d be tuckered out till morning. There really was no better opportunity than now. “Clover, I- I wanted to apologize.”

That seemed to throw Clover off-guard. “For what?”

“For treating you like a child. Look- I’m used to messing with Winter, okay? Jimmy- _James-_ treats her like his child half the time. He looks out for her a lot. I’m just here to mess with her to mess with _him._ So with you being the same age as her, it’s… hard to separate that out.” Qrow cursed himself silently. It sounded so stupid out loud.

“So,” Clover said carefully, “what _do_ you want to treat me like?” He had been standing in front of the vanity, plugging his phone into a nearby outlet; with his question, though, he walked boldly over, taking the seat opposite to Qrow.

Qrow gulped. There wasn’t anywhere to run. His mouth was dry as he muttered, “I’ve never been gay.”

“Okay.”

“I’ve only ever been with women.”

“Okay.”

 _Tai’s gonna have a fucking field day with this when he finds out._ “You… you’re still willing?”

Clover smiled, reaching out a hand, laying it palm-up on the low coffee table between them. “If you are. If I’m not too much of a _kid_ for you.”

Qrow rolled his eyes; but before he could make any more excuses, he reached out and placed his hand in Clover’s. Immediately, Clover’s fingers intertwined with his, and it felt just as comfortable and warm as he had imagined it to be. “The children are sleeping.”

“I’ve set an alarm for 5am.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Only for you.”

“Fine. We can give this a shot, I guess. I mean,” Qrow murmured, leaning forward and letting his lids hang low, seductive and slow, “if a brat like you can even keep up…”

“Try me, you old crow,” Clover breathed, those brilliant green eyes heavy-lidded and wanton.

And then, their lips came together, and Qrow finally got to answer all the questions he’d been wondering about; how Clover would feel in his hands, his arms, his lap, his mouth. And at 5am, when he awoke on the chaise lounge, still dressed, with a small blanket tucked over him and a warm, sturdy body pressed into his side, he didn’t run away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As we near the end of the fic, here are some other ongoing RWBY fics to check out:
> 
> What We Call Home (post V3-V6 in canon- Nora-centric Renora fleshing out JNR’s antics off-screen and Renora’s backstory- almost complete!)  
> Things We Said (V7 FairGame, showcasing their relationship alongside snippets of Team STRQ at Beacon)  
> Excuse Me, Professor (Modern University Grad School AU, multiple pairings including FairGame)  
> Touch the Sky (Mercury’s backstory from childhood till V6, canon-compliant)  
> Encoding (Nuts and Dolts V1-3)  
> Calling Bluffs (Modern University AU, Arkos)


	14. Realizations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… this isn't the last chapter! The final chapter ended up being over twice the length of the usual ones so I decided to cut it in half. Here's the first part. Last chapter tomorrow :D Let me know what you think!

**Realizations**

The news was jarring, unexpected- certainly not what Qrow could've anticipated that early Saturday morning. "Your trip's ending early?"

"Yeah," Taiyang said, sounding exhausted yet proud. "I finished my whole pitch, everyone was happy, the main conference ended- but there was an issue with the hotel and they needed to relocate everyone. But honestly, my job's done, and I'd _really_ rather see the girls, so I told them I'm heading home."

Qrow let out a long, measured sigh, this new information ringing in his head along with everything else he had to do. He pushed his fingers back through his hair, sighing at the inevitable pounding at the back of his skull that came with no caffeine and early mornings. "That's great, Tai," he rasped, forcing a smile onto his face, praying that the sound transferred into his tone. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Qrow," his best friend replied. Qrow could easily imagine the wide, brilliant grin that was surely alighting Taiyang's face. "It'll be good to be back home, though."

Taiyang quickly ran through his expected arrival schedule, and the two men figured out a plan for how they'd move Ruby and Yang's belongings from Qrow's place back to the Rose-Xiao Long family home. As they were finishing up, a ruckus from the hallway caught his attention. "Look, Tai, I think I have to go."

"Sleepover going okay? Did something happen?"

"I'm sure it's fine," he said breezily. "I'll go check just in case."

"Tell the girls I'll see them soon!" With that, Taiyang hung up, leaving Qrow behind in one of the many guest rooms of the Schnee family manor. Qrow sighed- the alarm they had set up the night before had done its job, and he was ready to get going and bring the kids home now that the party had come to an end. All they needed to do was get some food in everyone, make sure their stuff was packed, say goodbye to the birthday girl and Klein-

Strong, corded arms wrapped around Qrow's neck. He froze for a moment, then relaxed into the touch, albeit tentatively. "Hey, you," he murmured.

Clover pressed a kiss behind Qrow's ear, the delicate action enough to bring back to mind everything that had happened the night before. "Hey to you too. Do you know what's happening out in the hall?"

The elder flushed at the tenderness of the gesture, burying his face in his hands. "I have no idea, but I'm going to need you to let go of me before we go see the kids."

Retracting away from him like he was ablaze, Clover frowned, panic immediately flooding his features. "I- Qrow, are- are you regretting it?"

"No!" Qrow stood, shaking his head as he approached Clover. "No- no, I don't." He smiled clumsily, reaching out to cup the younger's face in his hand. "No. I don't," he insisted quietly. "Just… let's not do this in front of Ruby or anyone, okay? Let an old man get used to it."

Clover rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, but he complied, walking to the hallway. "I'll go check it out first, _old man,_ " Clover teased, waving as he headed out into the cacophony outside. And, after calming his own heartbeat, Qrow finally faced the door, ready to go as well.

Right as he was leaving, however, he received a new email from Ozpin. _Ugh. In-person meeting on Monday. Fine._

Without having to worry about the girls, that wouldn't be too much of a hassle, thankfully.

As he helped Klein and Clover and the few mothers who had stayed the night to settle down almost fifteen rambunctious children for breakfast, his mind kept drifting off. What would Taiyang say? If Raven knew, what would she do? In his mind's eye, he imagined Clover coming to his office in Beacon; what would Professor Ozpin say? And James? Winter?

What would Ruby and Yang think?

_Why does it matter?_

He hated that that question rang into his head, clear and true, in Summer's voice.

But it was true. What did it matter? He wasn't swearing his life away to Clover. Hell, all he'd managed to figure out was that he had a thing for the younger man. Why not just focus on taking it a day at a time?

The taste of Clover's mouth still lingered on his tongue. Qrow had to avoid all eye contact with the younger over breakfast and as he got his nieces ready to head home for the day, his mind automatically drifting back to how perfectly Clover had slotted into his arms the night before. Clover had- Qrow blushed thinking about it, cursing himself silently for becoming nothing more than a hormonal teenager ever since the younger man had come into his life.

But then, his mind drifted to what Clover had told him the night before. They'd spoken when they'd come down from their high, sweet nothings turning into idle chatter turning into heartfelt confessions. Qrow told him about Summer- about how he had asked Summer to help him with something at Beacon. How she'd gotten into an accident on the way there. How he had preferred to work at home ever since.

Clover told him about the scandal. How a female professor had come onto him, exchanging his bed for better recommendations. He'd turned her down, she'd caused a ruckus, and he decided to take a break, because "If 'I'm gay' isn't a good enough reason, then there was no way I could win that case," Clover had said sadly, lips languidly moving against Qrow's a breath later.

Okay, maybe Qrow was a little bit gay after all. _God, Tai is gonna love this after my thing for Oz in first year…_ but strangely enough, Qrow didn't mind that prospect that much. He knew Clover and Taiyang were already amicable because of Marrow and Ruby, so there would be no issue there. Ruby and Yang wouldn't care whatsoever, likely being even more delighted by having more opportunities to hang out with little Marrow.

Still, he realized he had to say something before he headed out for the day. Pulling Clover aside (he had insisted on taking the bus since he had some errands to run for Marrow's mom and the little boy wanted to join, despite Qrow offering a ride back to the town centre) he said, "I don't know if you heard when I was discussing it on the phone, but Tai's coming back from his conference tomorrow. He's probably going to take the girls from now on."

Clover froze, then smiled, easygoing and kind. "I mean, I'll still get to see you, right?"

The tiny, hidden plea in his words made Qrow melt. "You know where to find me."

Clover saluted playfully as he said, "Lucky me that you're a homebody, huh?"

Qrow immediately huffed, eliciting a laugh from the younger.

Clover continued, avoiding his gaze, "I guess I don't need to take Marrow anymore to daycare."

 _That_ was unexpected. "Aren't you watching him for-"

"She may have come home this past week, and I _may_ have asked her to let me keep dropping off and picking up Marrow anyways."

"Why?"

Clover winked. "Had to find reasons to see you, right?"

Qrow didn't even have the words. Clover made Marrow wave goodbye to Qrow and the girls, smiling brightly at the elder before they headed off. So, with that lighthearted goodbye, Qrow brought the girls back to his apartment, ready to tell them the news of Taiyang's return.


	15. Connections

**Connections**

It was a surprisingly somber moment when he explained that they’d be going back home the next day, with Taiyang being the one to take Yang back to summer camp come Monday. “But…” And Ruby’s large eyes filled with tears as she latched onto his leg, “Uncle Qwow, we didn’t get to do everything I wanted together.”

The wobble of her voice broke his heart. He easily scooped the girl up into his arms and sat her down onto his kitchen island, helping Yang join her a moment later. Smiling fondly at the two girls, he murmured, “Your dad missed you a ton. And I’ll always be here, right? You can come visit anytime.”

“Monday,” Ruby pouted.

Qrow laughed, ruffling her hair. “How’s this- I’ll tell your dad I’m picking you up and taking you for ice cream after daycare, and I’ll bring you home. How’s that?”

After a moment of hesitation, the thought of ice cream seemed to win, and Ruby gave him a tiny, sweet smile. “Okay Uncle Qwow.”

To Yang, who was looking decidedly aghast at the news, Qrow said simply, “Did you like the cookies I made?”

Instantly, her face lit up. “Yeah, they were super good!”

He grinned, holding out a hand for her to high-five. “You’re helping me make them next time okay?”

And Yang’s face split into a dazzling smile as she did so, her tiny hand against his, and in that moment he knew he’d done the right thing by baking them for her earlier that week. They’d keep the cookie-baking tradition alive for Summer.

There was little left to do but pack and enjoy the last day they had together. He happily took the two girls to the playground by Arc ABC House, watching them giggle and play with all the energy in the world.

The next 24 hours passed by in a blur. He had thought his apartment to be small, but it had never been as achingly empty as when Taiyang finally came and collected the girls, his best friend collapsing into blubbering tears the moment he was reunited with his daughters once more. It had taken forever to get Taiyang to stop crying and finally head home, but after he had, Qrow almost regretted saying goodbye.

But time moved on. Soon enough, it was nearly noon on Monday, and Qrow’s patience was wearing dangerously thin. “Jimmy, I swear to God-“

“It’s _Doctor Ironwood-“_

 _“_ I’ll call you _Jimothy_ if I want _,_ so shut your mouth and listen-“

“You two,” Professor Ozpin sighed, breaking up their petty argument, “let’s calm down a bit.”

With that, Professor Ozpin shooed the two grown men off to cool down before they got back to discussing things that certainly did _not_ demand that level of anger. Qrow couldn’t help it though- it never felt right to be physically back at Beacon.

To his surprise, as he walked out of the department building to take a short walk, Winter Schnee caught him, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re welcome,” she muttered with pink cheeks before scurrying off just as quickly, leaving Qrow absolutely baffled.

The explanation came just a few short steps later, in green eyes that narrowed and creased happily in the corners when he saw Qrow. “I brought lunch,” Clover explained, holding up a bag of what was presumably takeout.

Qrow cocked his head to the side in utter disbelief. “…Tai told you?”

Shaking his head, Clover held up a cup of coffee for Qrow to take, just as always. “Winter,” he explained wryly. “She said you’d be coming to Beacon today, then said that she was repaying the favour for the birthday.” In a stage whisper, he added, “I think she’s onto us.”

The elder sighed, taking in the image of the built man before him idly as he drank his coffee. It immediately felt soothing, warding off the creeping headache left after arguing with James. “Come sit in my office,” he murmured at last. “I’m not yet done my meeting.”

Clover raised a brow. “Um… then you’re outside, why?”

Qrow groaned, gesturing for the other to follow him. “Don’t worry about it,” he grumbled. “I’ll be done soon.”

Clover jogged to join him, his smile carefree but his eyes weighted as he suggested, “We can finally have a drink together when you’re done.”

Gods, a drink sounded _amazing_ for after the meeting.

It seemed that Clover read his mind, lightly pecking the corner of Qrow’s mouth as the elder unlocked his personal office for him to wait within. “Here to please, princess,” he teased.

The rest of the department probably heard the annoyed groan that slipped out of Qrow’s mouth in response.

The meeting passed without further incident, with Professor Ozpin’s tiny quip that Qrow looked “surprisingly calm” after the short recess enough to make Qrow want to curl up into a hole and die from embarrassment. Qrow had to fight to keep the smile off his face every time he thought of who was waiting for him.

And later that day, when lunch was had and glasses were clinked and 2pm rolled around, Clover decided to stick around to go pick up Ruby.

When they arrived at the daycare, they found the little girl sitting with Marrow and an unfamiliar woman with Marrow’s colouring on the swings. “Elm, thanks for waiting with Ruby,” Clover said, bumping his fist against the woman’s.

“I didn’t mind,” Marrow’s mother- the famous Elm, it seemed- replied airily, waving off his words. “Always happy to hang out with one of my favourite girls.”

Ruby smiled widely at Elm, all tiny teeth and chubby cheeks. “Auntie Elm,” she asked, “were Uncle Qwow and Clover really all kissy-“

“What did you tell her?!” Clover cried just as Qrow scooped Ruby up, muttering, “And that’s enough of that, we’re going home-“

“She’s not wrong, was she?” Elm asked, raising a thin brow with a knowing smile. Looking at Qrow pointedly, she added, “Also, you- if you hurt Clover, you’ll be seeing me again really soon.”

Qrow rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the sight of Ruby making kissy faces back-and-forth with Marrow teasingly. Still, as his eyes fell onto Elm’s figure, the tall woman’s muscles straining through her light cardigan, Qrow filed away that threat rather than disregarding it completely. She looked like she could do some serious damage if she put her mind to it, and the slightly unhinged, laissez-faire tinge to her smile matched that assessment.

 _Okay, that’s it._ Lightly flicking Ruby’s nose to get her to stop, he gestured to Clover to head back to his car. “I’ll drop you off at home,” he said to the younger as he strapped Ruby into the backseat. “Whereabouts do you live?”

Clover slid into the front seat and Qrow’s breath hitched as the younger laid a hand on top of Qrow’s, resting atop the gear shift. “Or… we could drop Ruby off first,” Clover murmured, thumb brushing against the back of Qrow’s hand, green looking up at him through thick, ruddy lashes.

The meaning behind those words made Qrow flush beet red. He dropped his face onto the steering wheel, willing composure back into himself- breathing slow, trying to calm himself and his racing mind down. He took so long that Ruby began to whine in the back, startling him upright again. When he finally pulled the car out of the parking lot, Clover’s smile was triumphant and knowing, Qrow’s exhausted and defeated, Ruby’s blissfully unaware. The car trundled along the road, carrying them to their first destination: the ice cream shop on the way home. Taiyang’s home.

 _This brat…_ Still, as they drove along, Qrow could feel Clover’s gratitude and adoration focused on his face, and Qrow found that he didn’t regret a thing about the past few weeks. Maybe the whole babysitting-dad-uncle gig was suited for him, after all.

**_-fin-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s that! Thank you all so much for reading along :) I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I liked writing it!
> 
> I've officially formed a weird fondness for FairGame, so here's a new FairGame fic from me! Enjoy _[Way Off Track](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24604045) _! It's more fluff to replace the fluffy void this fic has left in me :D
> 
>   
> I am so baffled by the amount of engagement I've gotten in my FairGame fics- I'm quite used to not having a very big readership, so even the (relatively-scant) engagement with this fic is quite wild. If you're curious, check out my other fics! I've got plenty :D
> 
> If you want to see more of Qrow in canon, check out my [Qrow Branwen-Centric Fic](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1448095) series!
> 
> If you're more a fan of RWBY AUs, check out [these](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1690948), and if you're more of a Pyrrha/Team JNPR fan, have fun with [these](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1448071). 
> 
> Cheers for reading, y'all! See you in the new fic ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you'd like to see more in the comments :D I'd love to hear what you think!


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